The mayor endorsed the tax cut last week, saying it would provide tax relief sooner than the 7 percent appraisal cap he favored, which would have required legislative approval.

"It is more important for the direction it shows than the actual dollar amount," White said.

Lowering the city tax rate to 65 cents per $100 assessed value will have about the same effect on the city budget as the property tax cap -- a $5 million decrease in revenue -- so Wednesday's action did not require adjustment in revenue estimates for the budget. The general fund budget is for fiscal 2005, which begins July 1.

The tax vote was required as part of the budget process, although the council won't formally set the property tax rate until the fall.

Councilwoman Addie Wiseman offered an amendment that would have cut the tax rate by a full cent, but the mayor and other council members used rules of order to avoid a vote on the measure. It would have been a politically difficult vote for many council members who have said they support property tax relief but don't want to create a budget shortfall.

"There's a concerted effort to avoid voting on a tax rate," Wiseman said. "I want to see some courage at the table. I have constituents who have made it clear that a half-cent rollback is nothing but a token to them."

Under Houston's strong-mayor government, the annual budget process often offers council members their best chance to influence and shape city policy.

But most went along with the mayor, offering weakened versions of amendments they previously pushed and agreeing to let the administration study and analyze their proposals.

Several amendments also were tabled or referred back to the administration, essentially killing them.

"We acquiesced to the mayor," Councilman Gordon Quan said. "I don't think there were any substantive changes. Ninety-nine percent of the budget was the mayor's. In essence, it was the budget, and we commented on it."

Among the things the administration agreed to were analyzing and developing a plan to improve the performance of the city's neighborhood protection division, evaluating unused space in city clinics and looking into the practice of paying some members of city boards to determine whether the payments are justified.

Councilman Ronald Green said the approach gives the mayor an idea of council members' priorities and that they will expect him to follow through on studying their proposals. "Those of us who deferred to the process will remind him if he doesn't," Green said. "I don't think I gave up too much."

Adrian Garcia, a first-year councilman like Green, also said he trusts the mayor to evaluate their proposals in good faith.

"There are no definites," Garcia said. "But if I didn't think they had a possibility of being implemented, I wouldn't have offered them."

White said he wanted to move away from micromanaging city government through the budget process.

"Frankly, we agree with the thrust of the amendments, which was continued efficiency and more businesslike practices in the city," White said. "Once people view government as a problem-solving exercise and not just (an opportunity) for sound bites and posturing, you can get a lot done."

Councilman Mark Ellis, who chairs council's Fiscal Affairs Committee and worked closely with the administration on the budget process, said he believes there is an "air of cooperation with council and this administration."

The budget includes a commitment to a new police cadet class, although the mayor has not determined how to pay for it.

Public safety took the highest priority in White's budget, with a $59 million increase in police and fire department spending.

White also has set aside $12.5 million for performance-based raises for employees. While salaries will not be raised across the board, White said, he wants to offer raises of up to 20 percent for top performers. His plan also allows department directors to cut low performers' salaries by up to 10 percent.

Council largely ignored warnings from the Houston Police Officers Pension System that passage of White's budget would violate state law by underfunding the police pension next year.

Police pension officials put out a letter to council members warning them that state law mandates the city contribute 16 percent of police payroll. That would be $53 million -- $16.5 million more than White budgeted.

"I didn't get any calls that somebody thought something we put in the budget was unlawful," White said. "I know the difference between posturing and governance. We budgeted the amount we believe is the likely city contribution. If someone wants to take us to court ... take us to court."